Fatimah Busu

Fatimah Busu is an award-winning Malaysian novelist, short-story writer, and academic. Born in 1943 in Kampung Pasir Pekan, Kelantan, she is considered one of the most formidable Malay women writers of her generation. Her award-winning short stories include Mawar Yang Belum Gugur (1971), Nasinya Tumpah (1972), and Anak-anak dari Kampung Pasir Pekan (1975). Her first novel, Ombak Bukan Biru, was published to acclaim in 1977, and was followed by other notable novels including Kepulangan (1980) and Salam Maria (2004). Fatimah is also known for her essays on comparative literature and literary criticism. Fatimah is the recipient of several literary awards including the Kelantan State Laureate in 2015. She rejected the prestigious SEA Write Award as a protest against the violence against Muslim communities in South Thailand. Fatimah is considered a somewhat controversial figure by mainstream literary circles, for her strong views and acute portrayals of the inner contradictions of Malay society.
Pauline Fan is a writer, literary translator and cultural researcher. She is creative director of cultural organisation PUSAKA and contributing editor of Mekong Review. Pauline’s translation of poems by Sarawak poet Kulleh Grasi, Tell Me, Kenyalang (Circumference Books, 2019), was shortlisted in the United States for the National Translation Award in Poetry and longlisted for the Best Translated Book Awards in 2020. Pauline’s literary translations from German to Malay include works by Immanuel Kant, Rainer Maria Rilke, and Paul Celan. Her prolific writings on culture and literature have been published in various international and local publications, including Axon: Creative Explorations, Mekong Review, Words Without Borders, Commonwealth Writers’ adda magazine, Esquire Malaysia, New Straits Times, Svara, and Dewan Sastera. Alongside Heather Green and Shook, she is a judge for the 2023 National Translation Award in Poetry. Pauline holds a Masters in German Literature from the University of Oxford.